leader

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A person who leads, guides, or is in charge of a group or country.

   World leaders met to discuss climate change.

2. 2
   noun

   A person or thing that is the best or most successful in a particular field.

   The company is a leader in clean energy.

From Middle English leder, ledere, from Old English lǣdere (“leader”), from Proto-West Germanic *laidijārī (“leader”), equivalent to lead + -er. Cognate with Scots ledar, leidar (“leader”), West Frisian lieder (“leader”), Dutch leider (“leader”), German Leiter (“leader, conductor, manager”), Danish leder (“leader, manager”), Swedish ledare (“leader, conductor, director”), Icelandic leiðari (“leader, conductor”).

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